Lip Flip London: Botox vs Filler, Results, Cost and Risks

Medically reviewed by Razvan Vasilas
DRV Clinic London
Last medically reviewed: September 2026

A lip flip and lip filler can both change the appearance of the lips, but they work in completely different ways.

A lip flip uses botulinum toxin type A – commonly searched online as a lip flip botox or botox lip flip – to relax selected fibres of the muscle around the upper lip. This can allow slightly more of the pink lip to show.

Lip filler adds physical volume.

That distinction sounds simple, but it determines which treatment is actually suitable. Someone wanting subtle upper-lip eversion may need a very different approach from someone wanting greater volume, projection or definition.

For patients considering lip flip london treatment, the useful question is therefore not whether a lip flip is better than filler.

It is: What do you actually want to change about your lips?

At DRV Clinic in Baker Street, Marylebone, lip treatment is planned around anatomy, facial movement, proportions and the desired result rather than the popularity of a particular procedure.

Lip Flip at a Glance

What Is a Lip Flip?

For people searching what is a lip flip, the treatment involves placing small amounts of botulinum toxin into selected fibres of the orbicularis oris – the circular muscle surrounding the mouth.

The intention is not to fill the lip.

By reducing the inward pull of selected muscle fibres, a little more of the existing upper lip may turn outward and become visible.

Early clinical evidence supports this distinction.

A 2026 prospective study involving 17 women found a modest but statistically significant increase in upper-lip height 15 days after neuromodulator treatment, while measured lip volume did not increase.

Read the prospective lip flip study on PubMed

A systematic review published in 2025 also examined the use of botulinum toxin for lip eversion. Seven studies met the review criteria, with the available evidence suggesting subtle changes in upper-lip position. However, the evidence base remains relatively small compared with many longer-established uses of botulinum toxin.

Read the systematic review on PubMed

Put simply:

A lip flip changes how the existing lip sits.

Lip filler changes its volume and structure.

Lip Flip vs Filler: What Is the Difference?

The search lip flip vs filler is common because photographs of the two procedures can sometimes appear similar.

The underlying treatments are very different.

DRV Clinic offers both botulinum toxin treatments and dermal fillers in London, including lip filler.

The right option depends on the result being requested.

A patient wanting a small increase in visible upper lip may potentially benefit from a lip flip.

Someone wanting greater lip volume, projection or definition is more likely to need filler.

They are not interchangeable treatments.

Does a Lip Flip Make Your Lips Bigger?

Not in the same way as filler.

A lip flip botox treatment does not add material inside the lip.

Instead, more of the person’s existing upper lip may become visible when selected muscle fibres relax.

This can make the upper lip look slightly fuller even though its actual volume has not increased.

The 2026 prospective study supports this: upper-lip height increased after treatment, but measured lip volume did not.

This is an important expectation to establish before treatment.

If someone wants clearly fuller lips, stronger projection or a substantial change in shape, a lip flip alone is unlikely to create the same result as dermal filler.

Who May Be Suitable for a Lip Flip?

A lip flip may be considered when the aim is subtle upper-lip eversion without adding dermal filler.

Potential candidates may include people whose upper lip turns inward during smiling or who want a small increase in visible upper lip rather than significant augmentation.

Assessment should consider:

• upper-lip anatomy;
• lip height at rest;
• how the lip moves during smiling;
• upper-to-lower lip proportions;
• symmetry;
• dental show;
• previous botulinum toxin treatment;
• existing lip filler;
• desired degree of change.

Expectation is particularly important.

The treatment is deliberately subtle.

A lip flip should not be presented as a low-cost substitute for 0.5 ml or 1 ml of filler because the procedures create different changes.

What Do Lip Flip Before and After Results Look Like?

Lip flip before and after is one of the highest-volume searches in this treatment category.

The expected change is usually relatively modest.

More of the upper lip may become visible, especially during smiling, because part of the lip is no longer being pulled inward as strongly.

The result should not look like a large filler augmentation because no volume has been added.

Early research also supports a relatively subtle effect rather than dramatic enlargement.

Before-and-after photographs still need context.

Camera angle, smiling, lip tension, lighting and distance from the camera can all influence how significant a result appears. A photograph of somebody else’s lips also tells you very little about how your own muscle movement will respond.

How Long Does a Lip Flip Take to Work?

Botulinum toxin does not reach its final effect immediately.

Patients may begin noticing changes during the first several days, with the effect becoming clearer as muscle activity reduces.

Clinical lip-flip research has commonly assessed results at approximately two weeks. In the 2026 prospective study, changes were evaluated at 15 days.

This is why the treatment should not be judged immediately after injection.

A result seen on day one is not the final result.

How Long Does a Lip Flip Last?

How long does a lip flip last is another highly searched question.

The effect is temporary.

Botulinum toxin gradually wears off as normal neuromuscular signalling returns. The duration perceived by an individual patient can vary according to the product used, dose, muscle activity, individual response and previous treatment.

The lips are also highly active.

We use the muscles around the mouth constantly for speaking, drinking, eating and facial expression, so treatment response and longevity can differ from one person to another.

The current published evidence specifically examining the lip flip remains relatively limited, so a precise duration should not be guaranteed for every patient.

Can a Lip Flip Affect Your Smile?

Yes, temporarily.

The muscles around the mouth are involved in both appearance and function.

If botulinum toxin affects more muscle activity than intended, patients may notice temporary changes to smiling, pursing the lips, drinking or certain mouth movements.

This is why lower-face botulinum toxin is generally approached conservatively.

DRV Clinic has a separate, detailed guide covering Lip Flip Complications and Smile Asymmetry.

That page explains concerns such as smile asymmetry, excessive lip weakness and functional changes in greater detail.

For broader botulinum toxin problems, our Botox Complications and Corrections London guide explains how unwanted effects are assessed.

Unlike hyaluronic acid filler, botulinum toxin cannot simply be dissolved.

What Can a Bad Lip Flip Look Like?

A bad lip flip may involve temporary asymmetry, excessive relaxation or a lip that feels weaker than expected.

Some patients report difficulty pursing the lips, drinking through a straw or controlling certain mouth movements when the treatment feels too strong.

Another reason patients may feel disappointed is much simpler: their expectation was unrealistic.

Someone expecting filler-like volume may conclude that the treatment has “not worked”, even when subtle lip eversion has occurred.

If the main concern is an unwanted result rather than deciding whether to have treatment, our dedicated Lip Flip Complications guide provides more detailed information without duplicating that guidance here.

Lip Flip vs Lip Filler: Which Should You Choose?

Neither treatment is universally better.

They solve different problems.

A lip flip may be considered when someone wants:

• subtle upper-lip eversion;
• slightly greater visible lip height;
• no added filler volume;
• a small change rather than substantial augmentation.

Lip filler may be more appropriate when someone wants:

• additional physical volume;
• greater projection;
• stronger border definition;
• more substantial reshaping;
• correction of selected asymmetries;
• changes to upper-to-lower lip proportions.

Patients who already